[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 152 (Wednesday, September 12, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H8113]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ETHICS IN PUBLIC SERVICE
(Mr. SCHNEIDER asked and was given permission to address the House
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. SCHNEIDER. Mr. Speaker, President Trump campaigned to drain the
swamp, but his administration has only accelerated the revolving door
between the executive branch and industry lobbyists.
Last week, I introduced a bill to restore the rules surrounding
executive appointee lobbying to the higher standards of the previous
administration.
The Ethics in Public Service Act would make commonsense changes to
make government more transparent and accountable. For example, it would
close loopholes in the Trump administration's ethics pledge allowing
former appointees to communicate with the agency where they worked and
permitting former lobbyists to join an executive agency that they
lobbied within the previous 2 years.
Government officials should not be shamelessly trading on their
service for personal gain or to help out the special interests that
previously employed them.
Our democracy will function more effectively, and the American people
will be better served, by a stronger separation between public service
and corporate lobbying. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of
this legislation to clean up the system in Washington.
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